We need your costume ideas for World Book Day

Pirate costumes are simple; you don't need to buy one! Rolled up jeans, a stripey t-shirt, a bandana, draw on a beard, sorted. Can go further with a homemade sword, eye patch, parrot etc if you want.

You can have all of my ideas - DS's school are not dressing up - Head has too much empathy with hassled mothers - but I like making costumes (maybe not quite as much as Califrau but she has lots of random American excuses to do it) - give me a theme and I am away (all night, generally, since I have no time otherwise).

I made DS a fab Captain Patch (The Night Pirates) a couple of years ago - women's size 8 red cord jacket from jumble sale heavily 'customised', leggings with patches sewn on, crossed belts and a cowboy hat stapled to make a tricorn (with patches of course). And boots with turnover tops. It's available for hire .

I like this stuff. I am certifiable, I know, but would someone like to lend me a DC to dress up ?

Dd going as puss in boots this year, Ds wants to go as dumbledore! so I'm searching for a white wig and beard.
Other years we've had white witch, peter from lion witch and the wardrobe. Harry potter. Cat in the hat.

Charlotte's Web, black trousers, black tee long sleeved Tee shirt, with four extra arms sewn on (made out of rolled black felt, it was quite stiff and easy to shape into legs) these were linked by elastic to eachother and then around the wrists. I also made eight eyes on a head band, black pom poms with white felt circles and little wobbly eyes on top! This was more successful than any bought costume or more tricky leopard or tiger suits I've made!!

my dd wanted to go as a unicorn - from some unicorn book she has, but I refused because we had only a few days notice from the school that they were to dress up, so she went as her favourite greek goddess from the Odyssey - Athena, it was pretty easy to alter an old night gown, and dh and I were close to divorce whilst constructing a helmet, from silver card I had purchased the day before the event, she had a broom shaft staff of wisdom and a cardboard shield dh and dd made with an owl painted on it - she won a prize, which was a book she,very ungratefully, pointed out that she already had at home

ds at nursery went as an owl, from the owl and the pussy cat one year, we used an old t-shirt and some old material for wings, he took a wee pea green boat and a ukelele as his small guitar.... and I was the pussy cat (because parents were asked to dress up too, I wish I had forgotten that)

DS - This Year - Tom from Tom's midnight Garden (so stripey Pj's and a dressing gown) last Year - The Golden Compass from the Golden Compass - he made it from a large cardboard box and we made shoulder straps - he really enjoyed making it and it was unique. He was 8 at the time.

my dd is doing winnie the witch too. ds went as horrid henry one year (not v convincingly!)

DS age 9 is planning to go as Captain Underpants. He might chicken out though, when it comes to spending a day at school in big white underpants, a red curtain and an egg-head wig.

You can enjoy DD's hastily assembled 'costume' from last year on my profile if you like! I think Winnie the Witch is a top idea and may well do the same if the nursery is celebrating it, so cheers supersalstrawberry.

Ramon - you're good.

Charlotte's Web

OK, guess what book (not character - whoops) DD was last year? I drew a very rubbish spider's web on her T-shirt, adorned with the legend 'some pig', and she took her pig soft toy in with her.

It took me about five seconds.

dd is going to be Dora - orange leggings and a pink top. Easy peasy! ( I know not terribly great, but she is a Big Fan)

sal, what a wonderful idea.

Funnybones. Dead easy.
Left over halloween skeleton outfit, homemade tall red cardboard hat. et voila...

Alex Rider is a good one for boys who don't like dressing up.

Oh that is so annoying Captain!

Our Elmer costume involved a patchwork dress (not made by me!) and an elephant mask (made by me and then painstakingly coloured in by dd2 who was five or six at the time).

I made an elmer elephant one year -cut out face and ears from BIG cardboard box (using the sides as ears so they flap!) and tape toilet rolls down to make an articulated nose. The prize went to a boy who'd just got a pair of round glasses and drawn a lightning scar on his forehead!

DD has come home from school announcing that various of her class want to come as characters from the Wizard of Oz and she'll be Toto as (having vetoed Aslan she knew I couldn't do lions). I don't think I can do cairn terriers either !